Bathroom Clogs 101: Why Your Shower Drains Slow & How Drainrite Clears Them Fast
Professional Shower Drain Cleaning in Saskatoon
When your shower starts draining slowly, it’s easy to blame the usual suspects — hair, soap, or a buildup of shampoo. But the truth is, slow-draining showers are often the symptom of a bigger problem brewing below the surface. Whether you’re dealing with standing water, sour drain smells, or gurgling sounds, your shower drain is trying to tell you something.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
✔ Why bathroom clogs happen
✔ What hair and soap scum really do inside your drain
✔ When a slow shower indicates a deeper sewer issue
✔ How to safely clean and maintain your shower drain
✔ When to call Drainrite Sewer & Drain Cleaning Co. for a professional fix
Why Shower Drains Clog More Than Any Other Drain
Bathroom drains take on a unique mix of materials every single day. Unlike kitchen drains that clog from grease and food, your shower deals with:
1/ Hair (the #1 clog culprit)
2/ Soap scum
3/ Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash residue
4/ Skin cells
5/ Hard water minerals
6/ Dirt, oils, and shaving gel
7/ Pet hair (if you bathe pets in the tub)
Over time, these materials create a sticky, glue-like mass inside the pipe. Hair acts as a net, catching everything else. Soap binds it together. Minerals convert the mixture into a hardened blockage. And once that buildup forms, it only gets worse.
This is why your drain goes from “a little slow” to “standing water” surprisingly quickly.
The Three Stages of a Shower Drain Clog
Understanding how clogs form helps you know when to take action.
Stage 1: Sticky Film Buildup (Early Warning Signs)
Soap scum and conditioner create a slimy layer inside the drainpipe. You may notice:
Minor slow drainage
Light gurgling
Occasional odour when the shower runs
This is the ideal stage for preventive cleaning.
Stage 2: Hair Net + Soap Scum Blockage
Hair catches on the rough surface inside the pipe. Soap scum binds to it. This creates the start of a solid blockage. You’ll notice:
Standing water after a shower
Gurgling when other fixtures run
Backup around the drain cover
This is where DIY fixes start losing effectiveness.
Stage 3: Full or Near-Full Obstruction
When the blockage becomes dense, solidified, or extends farther down the line, symptoms escalate:
Water barely drains or doesn’t drain at all
Sewage smell rising from the drain
Gurgling from nearby fixtures (sink, toilet, floor drain)
Water backing up into the tub
At this stage, only professional drain cleaning will fully clear the line — and prevent it from coming back.
What’s REALLY Causing Your Shower to Drain Slow
Most homeowners assume the clog is right under the drain cover. Usually, it’s deeper.
Common hidden causes:
1. Clogs deeper inside the drain line
Hair balls and soap buildup form 3–10 feet down the line, out of reach of store-bought tools.
2. Cast iron pipe scale (in older Saskatoon homes)
If your home is 40+ years old, mineral scale narrows the inside of your lines, making clogs form faster.
3. Hard water acceleration
Saskatoon has moderately hard water, which speeds up soap scum formation.
4. Shared drain lines
Your shower may feed into a main bathroom line shared with:
Sink
Bathtub
Toilet
A partial obstruction downstream affects all fixtures.
5. Venting issues
A blocked roof vent causes slow draining and gurgling — often misdiagnosed as “just hair.”
6. Sewer line problems
If your shower + toilet + basement drain are backing up, the issue is not the shower…
…it’s the main sewer line.
Drainrite handles both minor and major blockages, including full sewer backups.
DIY Methods That Actually Work (And the Ones That Don’t)
Not all DIY drain cleaning methods are safe — many will damage pipes, traps, or seals. Here’s what’s safe and what to avoid.
Safe DIY Options
✔ 1. Remove visible hair from the drain cover
Basic but helpful — especially if you have long hair or shave in the shower.
✔ 2. Use a plastic, non-metal drain zip tool
These grab shallow hair clogs but won’t reach deeper obstructions.
✔ 3. Hot water rinse
Helps dissolve soap film — useful as maintenance but ineffective on real clogs.
✔ 4. Baking soda + vinegar (for odours)
Safe for deodorizing, but not strong enough to clear blockages.
DIY Methods to Avoid
❌ Chemical drain cleaners
They damage pipes, destroy rubber seals, and are unsafe for homes with PVC, ABS, or old cast iron lines.
❌ Using metal coat hangers
They scratch the pipe and often push the clog deeper.
❌ Plungers on shower drains
They can break seals and aren’t effective on hair/soap blockages.
How Drainrite Professionally Cleans a Shower Drain
Drainrite Sewer & Drain Cleaning Co. uses industry-grade tools and methods designed to completely clear the line — not just poke a hole through the clog.
Here’s what the process looks like:
Step 1: Diagnostic Assessment
We inspect symptoms, check nearby fixtures, and determine whether the clog is:
Localized (shower only)
In the bathroom branch line
Or part of a larger sewer problem
Step 2: Mechanical Cleaning With a Drain Auger
We use high-speed equipment to:
Cut through hair, soap, and scum
Restore full diameter of the pipe
Prevent the clog from reforming quickly
This is far more effective than store-bought augers.
Step 3: Optional Camera Inspection
If we suspect deeper issues (scale, roots, or aging pipes), we use the DrainSight™ camera to:
Verify the drain is clear
Confirm no additional blockages
Show you the inside of your pipe
Step 4: Deodorizing & Drain Treatment
We offer safe, enzyme-based cleaners that:
Break down soap residue
Reduce odours
Slow future buildup
This keeps your shower fresh long after the service.
How to Prevent Future Shower Clogs
A few simple steps go a long way:
✔ Install a hair catcher
Catches 80–90% of debris.
✔ Avoid oily shampoos and thick conditioners
They accelerate scum buildup.
✔ Run hot water for 10–20 seconds after showers
Helps flush residue.
✔ Schedule annual drain maintenance
Especially in older Saskatoon homes with cast iron drains.
Drainrite offers affordable preventive cleaning to keep your home flowing year-round.
When You Should Call Drainrite Immediately
Call us right away if:
1/ The shower backs up repeatedly
2/ Multiple bathroom fixtures gurgle
3/ You smell sewer odours
4/ Water pools around the drain
5/ DIY methods didn’t help
6/ You live in an older home with cast iron drains
7/ The clog returns within days or weeks
These are signs of deeper issues that only professionals can fix.
Fast, Honest Bathroom Drain Cleaning in Saskatoon
At Drainrite Sewer & Drain Cleaning Co., we believe in:
Upfront pricing
No hidden fees
Fast arrival times
Local, honest service
Fully cleared drains — not temporary fixes
If your shower drain is slow, gurgling, or backing up, we’re ready 24/7 to get your home flowing again.
📞 306-933-2079
💧 Drainrite — We Clear the Way!